In a comfortable, approachable style, actor Peter Wickham creates the feeling of relaxing in a nineteenth-century English drawing room while swapping tales of the macabre, fairy folk, and undiscovered worlds. In a tone that is equal parts beguilement and wonder, Wickham leads listeners through this late-nineteenth-century collection of nine short stories, including the title tale and the superb “White People.” The works focus on Arthur Machen’s early influences: his vast knowledge of Welsh folklore, the occult, and a short stint in medical school. Long a favorite of horror meisters from H.P. Lovecraft to Stephen King, Machen was one of the primary architects of modern horror and dark fantasy. This collection is an excellent introduction to his gentle and eerie worlds. B.P. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine